Grapevine named &#39;Sweet Jasper&#39;

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of grapevine named ‘SWEET JASPER’. The new early ripening, very fertile grapevine variety is particularly characterized by an attractive berry color, a very uniform bunch and a firm berry with tender crunchy skin.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §1.19(f) of the Israeli Plant Breeders' Rights Application No. 4235 filed Jan. 4, 2010.

BOTANICAL NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Vitis vinifera L.

VARIETY DENOMINATION ‘SWEET JASPER’ BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct grapevine variety, botanically known as Vitis vinifera L., and hereinafter referred to by its variety denomination ‘SWEET JASPER’.

The new grapevine ‘SWEET JASPER’ is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the inventors, Avichai Perl, Nachman Sahar, Oded Degani, Tatiana Okun, Arie Sarfian, Hanan Bazak, Refael Eliassi and Ahuva Daos at the Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, located in Bet Dagan, Israel. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new early ripening, very fertile grapevine variety particularly characterized by an attractive berry color, a very uniform bunch and a firm berry with tender crunchy skin.

The new grapevine ‘SWEET JASPER’ originated from a cross made by the inventors in 2004 at the Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center. The female or seed parent is the grapevine variety, Vitis vinifera L indicated as ‘ARO 2117’ (unpatented), in the inventor's collection located in Bet Dagan, Israel, and the male or pollen parent is the grapevine variety, Vitis vinifera L. indicated as ‘ARO 1717’ (unpatented), in the inventor's collection located in Bet Dagan, Israel.

The new grapevine ‘SWEET JASPER’ was observed and selected by the inventors within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in 2007 at the Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center.

Asexual propagation of the new grapevine variety by bud grafting was first performed in January 2008 at the Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual propagation. The new cultivar propagates true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘SWEET JASPER’ can be grown in various climates and growing conditions. The variety produces and maintains a strong vigorous plant and consistent fruit production from end of June through end of July in Bet Dagan, Israel.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be characteristics of ‘SWEET JASPER’, which in combination distinguish this grapevine as a new, unique and distinct variety.

1. Very fertile;

2. Early ripening;

3. Firm berry with tender crunchy skin;

4. Attractive berry color; and

5. A very uniform bunch.

Plants of the new grapevine ‘SWEET JASPER’ differ from plants of the parents Vitis vinifera L. ‘ARO 2117’ (unpatented) and Vitis vinifera L. ‘ARO 1717’ (unpatented), in the following characteristics described in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Comparison with parent varieties. Female Parent Male Parent New Variety ‘ARO 2117’ ‘ARO 1717’ Characteristic ‘SWEET JASPER’ (unpatented) (unpatented)

Of the many commercial varieties known to the present inventors, the most similar to the new grapevine ‘SWEET JASPER’ are Vitis vinifera L. ‘SUGRAONE’ (patented) and Vitis vinifera L. ‘PRIME’ (patented) which differ from the new grapevine ‘SWEET JASPER’ in the characteristics described in Table 2:

TABLE 2 Comparison with similar varieties. Comparison Comparison Variety Variety New Variety ‘SUGRAONE’ ‘PRIME’ Characteristic ‘SWEET JASPER’ (patented) (patented)

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new grapevine ‘SWEET JASPER’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed morphological description, which accurately describe the color of ‘SWEET JASPER’.

FIG. 1 shows a typical bunch of ‘SWEET JASPER’ on the plant.

FIG. 2 shows a typical mature leaf of ‘SWEET JASPER’.

FIG. 3 shows a typical inflorescence of ‘SWEET JASPER’.

FIG. 4 shows a typical growth tip of ‘SWEET JASPER’.

DETAILED MORPHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Vitis vinifera L. ‘SWEET JASPER’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotypical descriptions and color designations stated for the new variety may vary, depending on variations in environmental factors, including weather (temperature, humidity and light intensity), day length, soil type, location and cultural conditions, without any change in the genotype of the grapevine. The following description of ‘SWEET JASPER’ unless otherwise noted, is based on observations and measurements taken during 2010 and 2011 at the Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, on plants grown in the vineyard located in Bet Dagan, Israel under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice. The described plants were grafted on ‘Richter110’ (unpatented) and planted at a distance of 1.5 m in sandy red loam soil at an elevation of about 30 meters above sea level, with drip-irrigation up to 40 m³ per hectare in the peak season in the summer and Shefer 737+microelements 1.5 ltr. fertilizers in each 5 m³ of water. Average annual rainfall is about 550 mm, with an average of 350 mm rainfall in winter (December through February). Mean diurnal minimum temperature in January is 7.2° C., and mean diurnal maximum temperature in July is 30.8° C.

Unless otherwise stated, the detailed morphological description includes observations, measurements and values based on three-year-old ‘SWEET JASPER’ plants grown in the vineyard at the Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, located in Bet Dagan, Israel from 2010 to 2011. Quantified measurements are expressed as an average of measurements taken from a number of plants of ‘SWEET JASPER’. The measurements of any individual plant, or any group of plants, of the new variety may vary from the stated average.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 1986 edition, except where general colors of ordinary significance are used. Color values were taken under daylight conditions in full sunlight in Bet Dagan, Israel.

All of the plants of ‘SWEET JASPER’, insofar as they have been observed, have been consistent in all the characteristics described below.

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Vitis vinifera L. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Vitis vinifera L. ‘ARO 2117’             (unpatented).         -   Male or pollen parent.—Vitis vinifera L. ‘ARO 1717’             (unpatented). -   Propagation: Grafting onto ‘Richter110’ (unpatented) -   Growing conditions:     -   -   Light intensities.—Full sunlight.         -   Temperature.—Bet Dagan — 30 meters above sea level.

Elements January February March April May June July August September October November December Mean maximum air 17.8 18.1 20.1 24.5 27 29.2 30.8 31.2 30.4 28.3 24.1 19.7 temperature (deg C.) Mean minimum air 7.2 7.1 8.8 11.5 14.6 17.9 20.6 21.2 19.4 16 11.8 8.6 temperature (deg C.) Mean rainfall (mm) 140.5 96.9 66.1 17.5 2.2 — — — 0.4 20.4 76.2 130.3

-   -   -   Fertilization.—A balanced fertilizer with level of Shefer             737+microelements 1.5 ltr. in each 5 m³ of water.         -   Growth regulators.—None applied.         -   Pruning.—as in commercial practice.         -   Training.—Y trailing cordon.         -   Plant.—Time of vegetative bud burst: N/R.         -   Young shoot.—Openness of tip: Closed. Density of prostrate             hairs on tip: Dense. Anthocyanin coloration of prostrate             hairs on tip: Very weak. Green color: Green RHS 144 A. Green             color of upper side of blade: Medium green RHS 144 A with             over color medium red brown RHS 166 C. Green color of lower             side of blade: Medium green RHS 144 B with over color medium             red brown RHS 166 C. Anthocyanin coloration: Medium.         -   Young leaf.—Density of hairs between main veins on lower             side of blade: Dense. Glossiness of upper side: Medium to             strong. Glossiness of lower side: Weak.         -   Shoot.—Color of dorsal side of internode: N/R. Color of             ventral side of internode: N/R. Color of dorsal side of             node: N/R. Color of ventral side of node: N/R. Density of             erect hairs on internodes: N/R. Number of consecutive             tendrils: N/R. Length of tendril: N/R.         -   Inflorescence.—Length: 13-17 cm. Maximum diameter: 5-6 cm.             No. of side branches: 10-13. Attitude of side branches:             Horizontal. Length of longest side branch: 2-3 cm. Thickness             of main axis: About 3 mm. Green color of main axis: Light             green RHS 144 B. Anthocyanin coloration of main axis: Weak.             Pubescence of main axis: Weak.         -   Flower.—Sexual organs: Fully developed stamens and fully             developed gynoecium.         -   Pedicel.—Length: 2-3 mm. Thickness: Less then 1 mm. Green             color: Light green RHS 144 B. Pubescence: Weak.         -   Stamin.—Number: Five. Length of Filament: 2-3 mm. Thickness             of filament: Minuscule. Pubescence of filament: Absent.             Surface: Smooth. Color: yellow RHS 150 C.         -   Anther.—Shape: Transverse elliptic. Length: Minuscule.             Color: Light green RHS 145 C.         -   Pollen.—Color: Yellow RHS 150 C.         -   Ovary.—Shape: Elliptic. Color: Green RHS 144 A. Length:             2-3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Surface: Smooth.         -   Style.—Length: Minuscule.         -   Stigma.—Size: Minuscule. Color: Yellow RHS 150 C.         -   Mature leaf.—Size of blade: N/R. Blade length: 15-19 cm.             Blade width: 16-19 cm. Shape of blade: Pentagonal. Green             color of upper side: Dark green RHS 147 A. Green color of             lower side: Dark green RHS 146 AB. Glossiness of upper side:             Medium. Glossiness of lower side: Weak. Profile in cross             section: Undulated. Blistering of upper side: Weak. Number             of lobes: Five. Central lobe length: 6-7 cm. Central lobe             width: 7-9 cm. Upper, side lobe length: 6-7 cm. Upper, side             lobe width: About 7 cm. Pubescence of veins on upper side:             Medium. Pubescence of veins on lower side: Strong. Green             color of veins on upper side: Green RHS 145 C. Green color             of veins on lower side: Yellow green RHS 145 BC. Anthocyanin             coloration of veins on upper side: Absent. Anthocyanin             coloration of veins on lower side: Absent. Depth of upper             lateral sinuses: Deep. Arrangement of lobes of upper leaf             sinuses: Free. Arrangement of lobes of petiole sinus: Open.             Petiole sinus limited by veins: Absent. Length of distal             tooth: 10-13 mm. Width of distal tooth: 9-14 mm. Ratio             length/width of distal tooth: Medium. Shape of teeth:             Straight on both sides. Anthocyanin coloration of main veins             on upper side of blade: Absent. Density of hairs between             veins on upper side of blade: Medium. Density of hairs             between veins on lower side of blade: Medium. Length of             petiole compared to middle vein: Shorter. Length of petiole:             8-10 cm. Petiole thickness: 4-6 mm.         -   Petiole.—Green color of upper side: Green yellow RHS 145 B.             Anthocyanin coloration of upper side: Red RHS 59 C. Green             color of lower side: Green yellow RHS 145 B. Anthocyanin             coloration of lower side: Red RHS 59 C. pubescence: medium.         -   Fruit.—Time of beginning of berry ripening: Medium.         -   Bunch.—Size (peduncle excluded): N/R. Density: N/R. Length             of peduncle: N/R.         -   Berry.—Size: N/R. Shape in profile: Broad elliptic. Color of             skin (without bloom): Yellowish green. Ease of pedicel             detachment: N/R. Thickness of skin: N/R. Flesh anthocyanin             coloration: Weak. Firmness of flesh: N/R. Juiciness of             flesh: N/R. Particular flavour: Aromatic. Formation of             seeds: Absent.         -   Woody shoot.—Main color (without bloom): N/R. Relief of             surface: N/R.

-   Usage: Table grape.

-   Disease\pest resistance: No atypical resistance has been noted. 

1. A new and distinct grapevine variety, referred to as ‘SWEET JASPER’, as herein described and illustrated by the characteristics set forth above. 